Sports

The horror of Team USA doctor Larry Nassar continues as two more Olympic gymnasts, Madison Kocian and Kyla Ross, come forward.

Written ByAlexis Mansanarez

On Thursday, two more Olympic gymnasts disclosed abuse by former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar.

Madison Kocian and Kyla Ross, both gold medalists, came forward after Nassar was convicted on federal child pornography and state sexual abuse charges. Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for his crimes.

“Everyone copes in their own way,” Ross told the Associated Press. “It doesn’t matter how old you are and what happens to you. I’ve come to the point in my life (where) I want to share my story and move on."

Ross is a member of the “Fierce Five” group that won the 2012 Olympic gold medal, and Kocian made up part of the "Final Five," a group of gymnasts that brought home gold at the 2016 Olympic Games. Kocian also won silver on the uneven bars in Rio de Janeiro.

Both are now retired from USA Gymnastics, and said they only began to process their own abuse in January when hundreds of survivors, including former teammates, read public statements to Nassar. One of the many women who appeared in court was Jordyn Wieber, who competed with Ross in London and became a support system for both Ross and Kocian.

“Just seeing the process through her view had helped me find my voice and be confident in myself and realize I was a victim,” Ross said. “But we don’t want to be viewed as victims. This is something we have to grow through. Now we’re just trying to find our voice and help.”

Kocian added: “You live under a fear of not being able to speak up because this was our only avenue to accomplish our dreams and make the Olympic team.

“There are still people at the top that I feel have overseen this issue for a long time and I think that needs to be changed as well as the whole culture around everything. I don’t think enough has been changed from the coaching standpoint. There are still coaches under that abusive style of coaching whether it’s verbal abuse, that’s what enables all of this.”

According to the AP, USA Gymnastics released a statement saying it was “heartbroken” Ross and Kocian are among the women who endured abuse from Nassar and added “their powerful voices and stories will continue to be a basis for our future decisions.”